Improvement in timing explosive sh ells by clock-work



i 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

- F, TOGGENBURGER;

Shell-Fuse.

Patented May 2, 1865.

In? 621 far 2 SheetsH-Sheet 2 Patented May 2 1865 v G RQ V m NF u e G 0 m 6 8 Ru 7 4 N for exploding my shell.

and use my invention, I will proceed to de- NITE STATES PATENT FREDERIC TOGGEL BURGER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN TIMING EXPLOSIVE SHELLS BY CLOGK-WORK.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,586, dated May 2, 1555.

F0 aZZ whom, it may concern: which are necessary to set the clock-work so Be it known that 'I, FREDERIO TOGGEN- as to cause it to explode the shell at a certain BURGER, of Chicago, in the county of Oook moment and for firing the shell. and State'of Illinois, have invented certain L represents the spring-barrel, which connew and useful Improvements in Bomb-Shells; tains' the ordinary coiled spring, .which is and I do hereby declare that the following is wound up by the application of a key to the a full, clear, and exact description of the con- I square end i of its shaft. The spring operates struction and operation of the same, reference the sever l gear-wheels, m and 0, (shown in being had to the accompanying drawings, in I Fig. 2,) and the velocity of the apparatus is which regulated by the application of the fiy Ir. Figure 1 represents a longitudinal central Thus the bevel-pinionsl and p are operated, section through said bombshell. Fig. 2 repand the latter is set upon a screw-shaft, q, resents a cross-section through the line a b of which is thus moved longitudinally when the Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a side view of part bevel-wheel p is turned. The screw-shaft q is of the shell. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 represent end shown in its several positions in Figs. 2, 4, and side views of the apparatus which I use i and 5, and its end, passing through plate f, is shown at Fig. 6. It serves to lock or to re lease the rod M, to which the friction-match is secured which is to fire the shell. This rod M is supported by the vertical plates ff, and A represents the casting of the shell. The can slide therein longitudinally. It has a cavity B serves for the reception of the powgroove, 1', in its circumference, (shown at Fig. der which is to explode the shell at a certain 5,) into which the hinged rod 3 is pressed moment, and this cayitygvhen properly filled, when the apparatus is set, as shown in Fig. 6. In this position the upper end of the hinged cavityD serves for the reception of the mechrod 8 is supported by the end of the screwanism which I use for exploding the shell, and shaft q, and when the shell is to be exploded said cavity is closed by means of a screw-top, the end of said shaft is withdrawn from the E. The formation of the latter is represented rod 8. and the latter is disengaged from the at Fig. 1. It is provided with a nipple, F, rod M by the action of the spring N. The which is filled with powder, and is tempoend of the rod M is provided with an arm, 0. rarily closed by a cap, G. Fig. 3, to prevent To this a wire or cord, 1, is secured, which said powder from falling out. In charging extends into the tube or capsule Q, which latthe gun said cap is removed and the powder ter contains the fulminating material, and is by which the shell is fired from the gun exerts exploded by friction, and as the tube-Q exa pressure upon the yielding plug H within tends into the spaceB of the shell the powder the top E, and the movement of said plug therein is exploded when the former is fired.

To enable others skilled in the art to make scribe its construction and operation.

is closed by means of a screw-plng, G. The

- starts the mechanism which fires the powder A spring, R, bears with its end 1 against the within the cavity B to explode the shell. The vertical plate f of the frame, and with its end plugI-I is provided withafiange, 0, into which 2 against the arm 0 of the rod M, and thus an india-rubber packing, d, is inserted,which tends to withdraw the latter when it is recloses the plug H against fire or water, but at leased from the hinged rod 8, thereby rapidly the same time permits it to yield to the presswithdrawing the wire P from the capsule Q ure of the charge to start the exploding mechand firing the latter.

anism, the construction and operation of which It is evident from the above that the time I will now describe. I within which theshell is to explode depends The exploding mechanism is mounted upon upon the length of that part of the rod Q, which a frame, I, provided with vertical plates f, for is to be withdrawn from the hinged clasp-rod the reception of the several parts, and is se- 8, so as to release the rod M. This length can cured to the partition K of the shell by means be adjusted with the greatest accuracy by of a screw or screws, h. It consists, substanmeans of the gear-wheel S, which meshes into tially, of the parts which compose a clockthe pinion t, the latter being set upon the, work, with the addition of certain devices square end of the screw-shaft q, and when it cause it to explode within near to the plug is turned the shaft, by the action of its screw within the hub of the wheel 1), will move it inward or outward, and thus its end can be illserted into or withdrawn from the rod 8.

To determine the time within which the shell is to explode, I secure a dial, T, Figs. 2 and 3, to the shaft of the wheel S by means of a set-screw, a. The face of this dial is countersunk in the side of the shell, and is divided in a number of parts, each part representing the space of asecond. I further apply afixed pin, '0, to the shell, so as to mark the number of divisions or revolutions of the dial when it is turned, and thus am enabled to set the work accurately before charging the shell, so as to a given time.

To prevent the work from starting before the shell is fired, I use a retaining-pawl, U, which is pivoted at w to one end of the plates f. Its end 3 is sprung into a countersink in the plate f, and is thus held stationary to prevent the fly it from turning, as represented at Figs. 1 and 2, and thus no motion of the clock-work can take place. The other end, so, of the pawl U is elevated above the plate f, and extends H without touching the lat be pressed upon by said plug when the charge of the gun is fired.

The operation of the shell is as follows: The shell being properly charged and the dial-plate having been set to the desired time, the cap G is removed from the nipple F and the gun is charged. When the gun is fired, the pressure of the charge causes the yielding plug H to press upon the arm at of the pawl U, and thus ter, but so as to to disengage its arm 8 from the fly k, and the latter being set free, the action of the springbarrel L starts the clock-work while the shell passes through the air, the

parts being then in 1 the position represented in Figs. 2, 4, and 6. This motion of the clock-work continues until the end of the rod 9 has passed inside the hinged clasp-rod s, when the spring N will release the rod M from the rod 8, and the former, by the action of the spring R, is withdrawn with great rapidity, the wire P is pulled, and the fulminating capsule Q is exploded, bringing the parts into the position represented at Fig. 5 and exploding the shell.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, what I claim herein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Exploding a bombshell by means of a clock-work applied within said shell, substantially in the manner described.

2. Providing the clock-work used within a bombshell forexploding the same with a regulating apparatus, bymeans of which said clockwork can be set to explode the shell at a given time.

3. Starting the clock-work within a shell, and by which it is to be exploded by the action of the powder-charge which is used in firing the shell from the gun.-

4:. The combination of the clock-work movement with the rod M and the fulminating capsule for exploding the shell, substantially in the manner described.

5. The combination, with the clock-work and the exploding device within the shell, of the yielding plug H, by means of which the clock-work is set in motion by the firing of the shell, substantially as herein described.

FREDERIO TOGGENBURGER. Witnesses: I

ANDREW DIEZEL, J OHANN GEYEN. 

